Fake cops from 'bol bachchan gang' steal bangles from elderly woman in Mumbai

‘Bol bachchan gang’ is a term used to refer to robbers who engage in conversations with their targets to distract them before stealing.

MUMBAI: Two members of the “bol bachchan gang” posed as policemen to cheat a 78-year-old Bandra resident of her gold jewellery while she was on a morning walk on Monday. The Bandra police have booked the two unidentified men and will go through CCTV footage to identify the thieves.

The 78-year-old Bandra resident was cheated out of her gold jewellery while she was on a morning walk. (Representative image/Reuters)

The complainant, Antoinette D’Cruz, is a resident of Hill Road in Bandra West. According to the police, at 6.30am on Monday, she was walking towards St Andrews Church when an unknown man approached her from behind, calling out “Aunty, Aunty”. He showed her an ID card that had ‘police’ on it, and claimed to be a cop, said D’cruz to the police. Another man soon joined him and said to D’Cruz, “Someone is walking behind you with a knife. Take out your jewellery and keep it in your bag.”

Trusting them, D’Cruz removed the gold bangles she was wearing and gave them to one accused who appeared to put them inside her bag, she said in her statement to the police. After returning the bag to her, the two men left on a two-wheeler.

When the elderly woman looked into her bag later, the jewellery was missing. She said the bangles were given to her by her mother in 1972 and were worth ₹1.4 lakh.

“I tried to search for those two unknown men but could not find them. I realised they cheated me by pretending to be police and gained my trust to take my bangles,” added D’cruz.

The woman then shouted to alert passersby, one of whom suggested she go to the police. Based on her complaint, the Bandra police have registered an FIR against the two unidentified men under sections 204 (falsely pretending to hold public office), 318 (4) (cheating), 336 (2) (forgery), 319 (2) (cheating by personation), and 3 (5) (joint liability) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

“We are scanning through the CCTVs of the area to identify the frauds,” said a police officer from Bandra police station.